The new Colnago Y1Rs had not even been officially unveiled when emotions were already running high online. The first pictures of the Colnago were already circulating in December, and even weeks after the presentation, it was still extremely polarising. On the one hand, of course, because the bike from Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG). The cycling dominator of recent years is aiming for his fourth overall victory in the Tour de France, which would put him just one success away from legends such as Jacques Anquetil or Eddy Merckx. On the other hand, the spectacular frame design is causing a lot of discussion and attracting curious glances during our test rides. The reason for this is the independent rear triangle. Unlike the classic diamond frame, the seat tube does not form a line between the top tube and bottom bracket, but bends at the height of the seat stays. This design has been permitted since the World Cycling Union amended the rules almost four years ago.
After more conventional designs of late, the Italians are once again showing their innovative side and evoking memories of the iconic C35, which was also the subject of much discussion almost four decades ago due to its curved monocoque carbon frame. "Of course, the frame shouldn't just look spectacular," says chief developer Davide Fumagalli to TOUR: "Our bikes should impress with their high ride quality." In other words: The Y1Rs aims to be aerodynamically state of the art and compete with the fastest competitive racers. According to the manufacturer, the latter was the clear wish of the two professional women's teams (UAE Team ADQ) and men (UAE Team Emirates - XRG).
"For special races, we need a dedicated aero bike," Colnago quotes the racers. The also new Colnago V5Rs emphasises the lower weight and, like its predecessor, sees itself as a race all-rounder. In order for the Colnago Y1Rs to catch up with the fastest material such as the Cervélo S5, the optional workhorse of Pogačar's long-term rival Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike), the luxury brand developed "the longest and most complex project in Colnago's history". In addition to the obligatory CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations, a test procedure was used in which the prototypes were fitted with 70 pressure sensors in the wind tunnel, allowing the flow to be optimised for each component. And the effort pays off.
Bravo, Colnago!
In our independent wind tunnel test, we determined an aero power output of 204 watts, which the bike needs to overcome its own air resistance at 45 km/h. From a standing start, the Y1Rs thus reaches the level of a Cervélo S5 (202 watts), Canyon Aeroad CFR (204 watts) or Scott Foil RC Ultimate (203 watts). In the World Tour, we are currently only familiar with the Van Rysel RCR-F is known as a measurably faster bike. With comparable wheels and a flow-optimised front tyre, the Colnago Y1Rs would even overtake the French bike and be only the third bike in the TOUR test to break the 200 watt mark. The top mark for aerodynamics can certainly be seen as a minor sensation, as racing bikes from Cambiago have not necessarily attracted attention in the recent past for their top speed in the wind.
The Lombard company presented the last specialist to date, the Concept, at Eurobike seven years ago. The fact that there were still bikes with rim brakes in the peloton at that time shows how rapidly road bike technology has developed since then. In addition to the "bent tube", the Colnago Y1Rs offers further technical treats with its Y-shaped aerofoil-like handlebars and the fork positioned in front of the head tube. In contrast to the rear design, however, comparable concepts had already been seen: The integration of the fork is reminiscent of the Cervélo S5, while the recess on the steering head for low mounting of the cockpit is familiar from the Bianchi Oltre Comp or Simplon Pride II, among others. "The design is of course also available from other manufacturers. But the shape works very well aerodynamically," says chief developer Fumagalli about the handlebar-stem unit, which Colnago offers in 13 versions.
The big but of the Colnago Y1Rs
Compared to the aerodynamic quality of the Y1R, Colnago's designers have not placed as much emphasis on the other core criteria of a competition racer. The bike lags behind its competitors, especially in terms of stiffness, which may explain why Pogačar has only used the lightning-fast racer sporadically in races so far.
The riding impression: When cornering fast, the highly manoeuvrable bike steers somewhat indifferently, while the aggressive frame geometry puts a lot of weight on the front wheel and thus precision in the line downhill. In view of the low bottom bracket stiffness, the manufacturer's claim that the Y1Rs was primarily developed for sprint specialists is surprising. Amateur riders with less steam in their legs won't notice much of this. Looking back at this year's final at Milan-San Remo, however, the question arises as to whether Tadej Pogačar could have teased that little bit more speed out of a more torsionally stiff machine to win the sprint against Mathieu van der Poel and Filippo Ganna.
Colnago Y1Rs: Not a straight-A graduate
Last but not least, the comparatively high total weight of 7.4 kilograms - in relation to the direct competition - and the low suspension comfort prevent the Colnago from qualifying for the crème de la crème of the best competition bikes in the TOUR test. The Bolide leaves a gap to the current record holders from Canyon, Scott and Specialized (all with a TOUR rating of 1.5), combined with a narrower range of use - also in comparison to the V5Rs.
Pogačar's presumed main tool in his hunt for the fourth Tour title may not be in contention for victory in terms of aerodynamics, but the all-rounder in the lightest series version should save around 600 grams and, like its predecessor, should handle bumpy roads better. Solvent amateur athletes with a penchant for extravagant design needn't be bothered by this or be deterred from committing to Colnago. Provided your wallet is big enough. Even the tested "basic model" with SRAM Red AXS costs 12,300 euros. The replica of Pogačar's bike with Shimano's Dura-Ace groupset and Enve SES 4.5 wheels will set you back as much as €16,200. One thing is certain: the emotional discussions about the Y1Rs will not die down any time soon.
Colnago Y1Rs: Price, info & test grade
- Price: 12,300 Euro
- Weight of complete wheel: 7.4 kilos
- Frame sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL (test size greased)
- TOUR grade: 2,1
Geometry
- Seat/top/head tube: 526/510/114 millimetres
- Stack/Reach/STR: 540/387 millimetres/1.40
- Stack+/Reach+/STR+: 603/571 millimetres/1.06
- Wheelbase/caster: 980/57 millimetres
Equipment
- Drive/gear shift: SRAM Red AXS (2x12; 48/35, 10-30 t.) | SRAM Red AXS (2x12; 48/35, 10-30 t.) Grade: 1.0
- Brakes: SRAM Red HRD (160/140 mm) | Grade: 1.0
- Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Race TLR 28 mm (eff.: 30 mm) | Grade: 1.0
- Impellers: Vision SC 45
- Impeller weights: 1254/1570 grams (v./h.)
Measured values
- Weight of complete wheel: 7440 grammes | Grade: 2.3
- Aerodynamics: 204 Watt | Grade: 1.0
- Driving stability: 6.3 N/mm | Grade: 3.0
- Rear comfort: 186 N/mm | Grade: 3.0
- Comfort front: 102 N/mm | Grade: 3.0
- Ride/ bottom bracket stiffness: 46 N/mm | Grade: 3.3
Advantages and disadvantages of the Colnago Y1R
- Plus: First-class aerodynamics, unique design
- Minus: Not very stable, small contact surface on top link, extremely expensive
How TOUR tests
Julian Schultz
Editor
